Directions

For the crust: In a small bowl, combine the yeast with the warm water. Let sit until it foams. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the yeast mixture with the flour and salt. Mix until a smooth dough forms. The dough should be soft, not sticky (if it's sticky add more flour).

Take the dough out of the mixing bowl, lay it on a flat surface and cover with a damp towel. Let the dough rest like this for at least 1 hour. After 1 hour, divide the dough into 2 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place on a flat surface. Cover each ball with a small amount of olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for another 30 minutes. Transfer the dough to a flat surface covered with flour. Stretch each of the dough balls into a 12-inch round pizza crust.

For the sauce: In a large saucepan, combine the olive oil and garlic. Heat on medium heat until the garlic is fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, basil, crushed red pepper and salt. Stir together and let simmer for at least 30 minutes. Take the sauce off the stove and let cool completely. Once the sauce is cool, add all the dried ground peppers. (Yes, that is a lot of heat!!)

For the topping: Preheat a pizza stone in the oven to 450 degrees F. Cover each pizza crust with 1/2 cup of sauce. Top each pizza with 4 ounces mozzarella. Cover the cheese with fresh sliced habanero and jalapeno peppers to taste. For more intense heat, pile them on! Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Strap on your seatbelt and enjoy!

Cook's Note: To get the most heat out of the peppers, slice them and dehydrate them in a food dehydrator. This takes about 24 hours. Once the peppers are completely dry, combine them in a food processor and grind to a powder. Also, it is important to wait until the sauce is cool before adding in the ground peppers; cooking them in the sauce will reduce their intensity.

This recipe was provided by a chef, restaurant or culinary professional and may have been scaled down from a bulk recipe. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.